• spittingimage@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    2 months ago

    Was it Maxim or Gatling who set out to create a weapon so terrible that nations would give up war completely rather than use it?

    He must have been disappointed.

    • SSTF@lemmy.worldEnglish
      4·
      1 month ago

      Gatling. He wanted to increase firepower per person, which would reduce the number of soldiers in a conflict.

      Maxim:

      “In 1882 I was in Vienna, where I met an American whom I had known in the States. He said: ‘Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each others’ throats with greater facility.'”